Shift2's first Nonprofit Tech Trade event proves collaboration works

Written By Andrea .

Embedded into our core at Causewave is the philosophy that changing the community for the better is team sport. That working together is more impactful than staying siloed.

That's why collaboration was our focus from the beginning when we partnered with Shift2, formerly the Shore Foundation, to help pilot a brand new program which aimed to get local nonprofits much needed upgraded technology while responsibly recycling old computers. Together we quickly determined that a team would be needed to pull this pilot program off.

A screenshot of a TV news segment from 13 WHAM. Three people sit around a table full of computer parts as they tinker with disassembled laptops.

The Partners

Shift2

Shift2 provides quality, used business computers to schools and nonprofits organizations to help people stay connected and discover their full potential. Their primary goal for this project was to gather a team to help organize, launch and spread the word about this new pilot program.

Rochester Area Community Foundation

Partnered with Shift2 to provide funding for 100 computers for area nonprofits who otherwise don’t have the funding or capacity to update their technology. Using obsolete computers and software can be a significant security risk. They can also dramatically impact the efficiency and impact of an organization’s work.

Butler/Till

Butler/Till, a local marketing agency and ongoing supporter of Causewave’s work. They partnered with Shift2 to officially host the pilot Nonprofit Tech Trade Program event at their offices on January 24th. Butler/Till team members also volunteered to help sort the old computers for recycling and pick the correct replacement computers for each organization.

Causewave

We were brought in to help facilitate the launch of the pilot event in January, coordinate collaboration between all four partners and spearhead marketing efforts to find homes for all 100 computers.

A group of people stand around a table sorting computer wires in a car garage.

The Impact

"Nonprofits do a lot with the little resources and stretch every dollar. We're very familiar with that. Technology is a very large budget item for nonprofits, so it's often a burden to continually update and get the newest technology. So, at SHIFT2, we want to be able to provide that to them." - Megan Alchowiak, Executive Director for SHIFT2.

During the pilot event in January, 16 area nonprofits received updated computers and safely recycled their old technology, with more nonprofits interested in participating in the future. The collaboration between all four partners enabled Shift2 to effectively launch the new program, find qualified volunteers that had a growing investment in their work and amplify the program’s visibility through a coordinated public relations and social media campaign.

"As Chief Technology Officer at Butler/Till this event aligns closely with our commitment to the Rochester community as both a 100% employee-owned (ESOP) and certified B Corporation, and has been a bit of a passion project for me personally. This event represents what I hope will be the first of many in the future of our partnership with Shift2 and Causewave.” - Mike Della Porta, Butler/Till

Shift2 is now aiming to find additional funding to expand the program and serve more nonprofits in need of upgraded technology. Still interested nonprofits should visit www.shift2nfp.org/nptechtrade to be added to a waiting list to receive computers when more become available.

Interested in learning more about how you can invest in Causewave's work, like facilitating other community collaborations like this? Reach out to us at info@causewave.org or call us at 585-442-0200.

Andrea .
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